Neville (left) inspecting the ruins on Juani island

Mafia is a trip down memory lane. The last time I was here I was six and accompanying my mother and Neville Chittick on the archaeological dig to unearth the 10/11^th century Islamic ruins. It is one of the main reasons for our visit – that and diving.  We also want to go somewhere less touristy than Zanzibar.

Neville surveying the site

Neville with our dalmation Abdalla and his dachs

In 1964, my mum and I arrived on the cattle boat Bonanza (see below, either arriving or leaving!) which plied her trade between Dar, Kilwa and Mikindani, via Mafia. It was a very smelly journey as you can imagine – and very basic. No cabins really…but no options either as planes did not go to Mafia then. There were no tourists and nothing there apart from the local inhabitants.

The three of us! read about this relationship in The Boy from Boskovice!

On our last day, a compulsory non-dive day, we chug over in a small boat to see the Juani Kua site. Of course it looks nothing  like I remember it, nor can I see the sandy beach where we camped. In fact there seems to be no record of that dig, with Neville’s Mafia publication relating to his Kisimani excavation on the main island, now largely washed away by the sea.

Being buried in the sand by Hugh, one of Neville’s students

Homework!

Outside our banda

With one of the diggers

However, by comparing some of the photos I unearthed from my mum’s bottomless archive, there seem to be some comparable buildings even after 60 years. The graveyard photos in particular seem to pinpoint that the dig was on Juani, and there are photos showing approaching the island and the old German fort, that still stands on Chole island. But of the pot of  gold coins we found there seems to be no record. Maybe whisked away to Dar museum?

The missing tomb tower on the right of this grave

This tomb tower has disapeared with its inset porcelain plates – you can see it to the right of the other tomb photos

The pot of gold coins

Graves – check out the crenelations

The graveyard today – the crenellated stone work remains from the 1964 excavation

It seems we must have camped on the ocean side as the pictures tie in with my memory of a beach – here there are no beaches, only mangroves. We find a hive of industry and restoration is in full swing – remodelling the walls of the main palace and various other buildings with coral bricks. I’m not sure I approve really – but I guess it provides work and revenue as we are charged $5 to visit the site, receipted!

Approaching the ruins

They have built in a new floor & steps!

On the new roof with Saidi our lovely guide

There are apparently five mosques on the site, which was thought to be an old resort/spa area for the wealthy traders. We are pleased that the graves are more or less as they were, with an old mihrab and water tank intact; there is also a 10^th century loo, long-drop style, part of a bath house complex.

Some old plasterwork

This grave seems to be missing now

The mihrab

The old water tank

The boat trip ends with a trip to the Kua lagoon, with its upside down jellyfish. A quick snorkel and we rush back to beat the retreating tide.

Our hotel Pole Pole, meaning slowly slowly in Swahili, is charming; thatched bandas, with verandahs overlooking the bay, delicious food and a chilled atmosphere. We have a sunset cruise, but otherwise we spend most of the time on Mafia diving with Big Blu on jahazis, small dhows.

On the first day we set off for couple of hours to Mange sandbank, where there is some lovely clear diving, great corals and shoals of fish including huge groupers, followed by a bbq lunch. Water amazing shades of turquoise. But very cold as all the diving turns out to be –  25 C is normal for many but by the end of the trip I am wearing a 1 mm, followed by a 3mm suit, a 3 mm gilet, a rash vest and a sharkskin hood. And only just about warm enough. If you want to see pics of underwater life click here for Ross’ blog.

Sadly, although the reefs and fish life are fabulous, the viz is poor for the rest of our diving. Something to do with neap tides and not enough fresh water on the incoming tide. The only other downside is I am eaten alive by mosquitoes which is really unusual for me! The mafia mozzies must recognise a homecoming queen!

Mafia is famous for its flying foxes which roost by our hotel – hundreds of them upside-down in the daytime. They really do look like foxes!

The beach scenes say it all…time really has stood still here.

The six nights drift by in a gentle haze of eat, sleep, dive, G&T and all too soon we are boarding our small plane to take us to Ruaha.

Author: vickyunwin

I am a writer and traveller. Our darling daughter Louise died on 2 March 2011, aged 21 (www.louisecattell.com) and I started writing as therapy. We never know how long we have on this earth, so I live for every day...in November 2013 I was diagnosed and operated on for a malignant soft tissue sarcoma in the calf, followed by 6.5 weeks of radiotherapy, so am embarking on a different kind of journey which you can follow here. I also have another site www.healthylivingwithcancer.co with my blueprint for health and well-being.